Gripping device for garters, &amp;c.



No. 762,629. I PATENTED JUNE 14, 1904.

. L. s. GREEN-BERG. GRIPPING DEVICE FOR GARTBRS, 8m.

N0 MODEL.

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Patented June 14, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

LEON S. GREENBERG, OF NEWARK, NEIV JERSEY.

GRIPPING DEVICE FOR GARTERS, ac.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,629, dated June 14, 1904.

I Application filed August 15, 1902. Serial No. 119,694. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEON S. GREENBERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gripping Devices for Garters, &e.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,.reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. v

The objects of this invention are to provide, especially forgarters,a gripping device which will engage the stocking without injuring the same, to utilize the normal strain or pull of the garter to lock the gripping device and hold it locked and yet enable said gripping device to be readily released upon slackening the garter, to present a smooth front exterior and a simple compact structure, and to obtain other advantages and results, some of which may be referred to hereinafter in connection with the description of the working parts.

The invention consists in the improved gripping device for garters, &c., and in the arrangements and combinations of the parts of the same, all substantially as will be hereinafter set forth and finally embraced in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in

which like numerals of reference indicate cor-' responding parts in each of the several figures, Figure 1 is a front view of my invention in normal position and closed. Figs. 2 and 3 are edge views of the same open and closed, respectively. Fig. 4 shows the base portion or member in plan and edge view, and Fig. 5 is a section of the same on line 00 of said plan. Fig. 6 shows a plan and edge view of the pivoted gripping member, and Fig. 7 similarly illustrates the locking-lever. Fig. 8 shows amodified construction of base memher in plan and edge view, and Fig. 9 similarly illustrates the cushion employed in said modified construction. 7

In said drawings, 2 indicates the base portion or member of my improved gripping device, comprising a strip of sheet metal having at one end ears 3 3, bent up from its opposite side edges and perforated to receive a pin 1, on which the gripping-jaw 5, hereinafter described, is pivoted. At its opposite end said strip 2 is enlarged or widened laterally, as at 6, to form a seat, against which the grippingjaw may press in grasping, the central portion of said end 6 being pressed or stamped forwardly outward and providing a projection 7, which may be and preferably is covered with velvet, chamois, or the like, as at 8. The gripping-jaw 5 is also formed of a single piece of sheet metal and has at its opposite side edges intermediate of the ends ears 9 9 to receive the pivotal pin of bar 4:. A spiral spring 19, woun'd upon the said pin, serves to force the biting ends of the jaw and base members normally apart in any suitable manner. Forward from its ears 9 the said jaw 5 has a bend or offset toward the base member, so

that its end portion 10 will close flatwise thereagainst. Said end portion is laterally extended to correspond to the shape of the end 6 of the base member and is centrally apertured, as at 11, to receive the protuberance 7 on the end of the base member, and thereby grip a stocking edgeor the like firmly between, as will be understood.

At the rear end of the body member 2 the ears 3 3 are extended rearward, as at 16, and

perforated to receive integral lugs or pintles 15 on the edges of a locking-lever 13 next to be described. This locking-lever comprises apiece of sheet metal tapered at its rear end and having each tapering edge 17 adapted to be rolled inwardly upon the end of a cord 18, such as usually extends to the upper portion of a garter. (Not shown.) The locking-lever 13 is adapted when strain is brought upon the said cord 18 to lie in substantially an extension of the plane of the base member 2. At or near the transverse line of its pivotlugs 16 the forward end of said lever is bent at right angles toward the rear end of the gripping-jaw 5. Said rear end of the grippmgjaw is furthermore inclined or curved eoncavely toward the locking-lever, as at 12, and provides a bearing upon which the upturned extremity 14 of the lockinglever presses in closing with a wedge action, which not only causes a firm grip of the stocking or other article, but also prevents any nnloosening of such grip while the strain on the cord 18 continues. At the same time the device can be readily loosened by relaxing such strain. The extremity of said curved end. 12 of the gripping-jaw engages the forward end of the locking-lever when closed, and, furthermore, the curvature of said end 12 is such that its said extremity abuts against the locking-lever perpendicularly, or approximately so. Not only is a stop thus provided to limit swinging of the locking-lever in a direction to close the gripping-jaw, but also the rear extremity of the grippingjaw is effectively shielded or protected from any possible catching upon the garments or the like, there being presented when the garter is worn only the smooth rounded or beveled surface 12, as will be understood.

Under some conditions I. may prefer to form in the enlarged end of the body member 2 an aperture instead of the protuberance 7 described and seat in said aperture a rubber button, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, said button composing a shank 22 to lie in the aperture, with flanges or heads 21 23 at opposite ends adapted to overlie the opposite sides of the body member and a protuberance 20, centrally disposed on the head 21 next the grippingjaw. By this construction a rubber base is provided for the jaw to bite against.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is- 1. A gripping device for garters, &c., comprising a body portion substantially straight at its outer side from end to end, a gripping member pivoted intermediate of, its ends at the inner side of said body portion intermediate of the ends thereof, one end of said gripping member being bent to lie against the corresponding end of the body portion and form therewith cooperating jaws adapted to grasp a garment, and the other end of the said member extending beyond the body portion and being curved concavely toward the plane of the said straight outer side of the body portion and terminating at said plane substantially perpendicular thereto, and a bent locking-lever fulcrumed at its bend upon the end of the body portion and having one arm adapted to lie in the plane of the said straight outer side of the body portion, the other arm extending toward the gripping member to engage the same at its curved end and being covered and inclosed by said curved end.

2. The improved gripping device for garters, &c., herein described, comprising in its construction a straight fiat body portion of sheet metal forming at one end a gripping face or seat and having at its opposite sides ears 3, 3, bent to project from said body portion at the side having said seat, said ears being perforated to provide bearings for a fulcrumal pin and having extensions projecting edgewise beyond the end of the body portion opposite that having the said seat, said extensions being perforated to receive the pivotal lugs or pintles of a locking-lever, a pin secured in said ears, a gripping-jaw fulcrumed on said pin, having its gripping end bent toward the plane of the body portion to oppose the said seat thereof, the other end of said grippingjaw projecting beyond the end of the body portion having said ears and being also bent toward the plane of the body portion, and a locking-lever comprising a piece of sheet metal bent transversely and having at its opposite edges near the said bend projecting pintles adapted to enter the perforations in the extensions of the ears 3, 3, the outer part of said locking-lever in normal locking position lying in the plane of the body portion and having its other end projecting perpendicular to said plane to engage the gripping-jaw, said outer part of the locking-lever being adapted to receive a garter and providing at its inner side a bearing for the extremity of the grippingjaw, substantially as set forth.

3. The improved gripping device for garters, &c., comprising a body portion consisting of a straight and flat piece of sheet metal having at one end an enlarged or laterallywidened seat lying in the plane of said body and provided with a covering of soft material, said body portion having at its opposite sides ears 3, 3, bent to project from the plane of said body and being perforated to provide bearings for the fulcrumal pin, the said ears 3, 3, extending edgewise beyond that end of said body opposite the end having the widened seat and, near to the plane of said body, being perforated to receive pivotal lugs or pintles of a locking-lever, a pin secured in said ears 3, 3, a spring on said pin, a leverdike gripping-jaw fulcrumed on said pin, one end of said gripping-jaw being bent toward the plane of the body portion and again bent to lie parallel with the said body and oppose a broad gripping-surface to the widened seat, and the other end of said gripping-jaw projecting beyond the said end of the body having said projecting ears, and being bent inward toward the plane of the said body, said bent end of the gripping-jaw lying substantially perpendicular to the plane of said body, and a locking-lever also comprising a piece of sheet metal angularly bent transversely, and, at its opposite sides, near to the angle there of, having laterally-projecting pintles adapted to enter the perforations in the upwardly-pro- 7 jecting ends of the ears 3, 3, the outer part of the said locking-lever, when in its normal locking position, lying in the plane of said body portion, and having its other end pro jeeting perpendicular to the plane of said body portion into engagement with the gripping-jaw, said outer part of the locking-lever being provided with means to receive a ver- In testimony that I claim the foregoing I tical cord and at its forward face providing a have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of bearing against which the inwardly-turned August, 1902. extremity of the gripping-jaw is adapted to 1 W 1 5 bean-when said parts are in their said normal LEON (IREENBBRG locking position, to prevent forward move- Witnesses: ment of the said outer part of the locking-le- CHARLES H. PELL,

ver, substantially as set forth. RUSSELL M. EVERETT. 

